Railroad-switch



L. HARVEY. RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1919.

Patented May 25, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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I 12 Me 752% r L. HARVEY.

RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. 1919.

1,341,554. Patented May 25, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- LINDSEY ,HARVEY, OF COLLINS, MISSISSIPPI.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Lettersratent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed May 9, 1919. Serial No. 295,833.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LINDSEY Hnnvnna citizen of the United States, residing at Collins, in the county of Covington and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Switches; and T do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip' tion oi"- the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in railroad switches and has for one of its objects the provision of'rail switch sections that are adapted to bealined with rails of either the main or branch tracks so as to provide a substantially continuous track at such points, thereby preventing derailment of trains which is frequently caused by the use of ordinary switches employing frogs and the'like.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means for automatically locking the rail switch sections in alinement with the rails oi either themain or branch tracks "thus obviating partially open switches.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a railroad switch of the above stated character, which shall be simple, durable and cflicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in cer tain novel features Jof construction, .combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the follow- .ing description and accompanying drawings, in which z Figure 1 is a side elevation of a railroad switch constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4: is a-similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, j

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of Fig.2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the chairs,

lfig. 7 is a perspective-view of another chair.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates as an entirety a railroadswitch consisting of a main track 2 and a branch track 3. At the point where the branch track joins the main track, the portions of the rails of the main track 2 are removed to form ends A, and B to the main track and in this space is positioned my improved switch consisting of movable switch sections 4 in the form of rails. The rails of the main and branchtraclis and also the switch sections are mounted uponties 5 and secured thereto in the usual manner. Rail chairs 6 are secured to oneof the ties and the end A of the main track and are each provided with three rail seats to receive the ends of the rails of the main track, one 015 the ends of the switch section 4:, one of the ends of guard rails 7 and one of the ends of tie securing rails 8. The rails just mentioned are all secured within .their respective seats of the chairs 6 by rods 9 which rods are provided with nuts for retaining them in their proper places. The endsof the switch sections t are provided with slots to receive one of the rods carried by the chairs 6 so as to permit the other ends of said switch sections to move in alinement with the rails of the branch track or with the ends 13 of the main track, thereby establishing a substantially continuoustrack for a train to pass over either continuing in a straight course on the main track or switching over to the branch track-3. The guard rails 7 are of the usual construction and are secured to the ties 5 and have their ends slightly curved while the tie rails 8 are disposed outermost ot the track and are secured to the ties for the purpose of holding the ties in the proper relation to each other preventing the parts of the switch from becomingout of alinement with each other. The chairs 6 are provided with slots to receive the usual fastening elements for connecting them to the ties5 so that said chairs may have sliding movement on the ties for allowing contraction and expansion of the rails of the various tracks. Chairs 10 are slidably connected to one of the ties adjacent the end B of the main rail and also adjacent have securedthereto cuffs 11 formed-upon rods or members 12 and 13. The rods or members 12 or 13 are pivotally connected by a link 14: and each extend under the guard rails and tie rails as well as the movable switch sections. The rod or member 12 has pivoted thereto a link or rod 15 which is in turn connected to a crank 16 of a target rod 17. The target rod 17 is rotatably supported 7 in a switch stand 18 and carries at its upper end a usual target 19. The target rod 17 has secured thereto a collar 20 to which is pivoted a controlling lever 21 adapted to fit in either of the notches 22 formed in the upper end of the switch stand 18 so that upon moving the lever from one notch to another, the switch sections will be first moved in alinement with the rails of the main track and'then into alinement with the rails of the branch track. Cuffs 2st are secured to the switch sections at a point intermediate their ends and are formed. upon rods or members 25 that slide under the guard rails and the tie rails and are connected by a link 26 so as to reinforce or cause the rails to move in unison when shifted by the controlling lever 21. The

rods or members 12 and 25 are slidably supported by braces 27 secured between pairs of ties 5.

The tievrails are provided with notches in their flanges to receive locking elements 26 and 27 formed upon the ends of bars 28. The bars 28 extend along the tie rails 3 and the locking elements 26 and 27 by the supports 27. Levers 29 are secured to the bars 28 and to cranks 30 formed upon rods 31 and 32 which are rotatably mounted upon the ties and pass under the switch in entirety and out to the switch standard 18. The members 12 and 25 are each provided with a pairof notches and the locking elements on the bars 28 are adapted to engage in one of the notches of each of the members 12 and 25 when the switch sections 4 arein alinement with the rails of the branch track 3 so as to insure the proper alinement of the switch sections with said rails and prevent them from moving out of alinement with said rails accidentally. Locking elements 33 are slidable along the guard rails 7 and are formed upon bars 341 to which levers 35 are secured. The levers 35 are in turn connected to cranks formed upon the rods 31 and 32. The locking elements 33 are slidably mounted on supports 36 secured between a pair of the ties under the guard rails and are adapted to move into the other notches of the members 12 and 25 when the switch sections have been alined with the ends B of the main track to prevent said switch sections from accidentally moving out of alinement with said rails. The looking elements heretofore mentioned are all provided with beveled ends so as to assure the entrance of the same into their respective notches when the locking elements are actuated. Levers 39 and &0 are slidably mounted between arms 41 formed upon the stands 18 and have connected to their lower ends the angularly related ends of the rods 31 and 32 whereby upon upward and downward movement of the rods 39 and 10, the locking members will be moved into and out of engagement with their respective notches for locking and unlocking the switch sec tions. The upper ends of the rods 39 and 10 have formed thereon spaced extensions 42 between which are adapted to be received the controlling lever 21 so that upon swinging said controlling lever upwardly to disengage it from one of the notches in the switch stand, one of the rods willbe moved upwardly to withdraw its respective looking elements or members out of the notches so as to free the switch sections and on moving the controlling lever 21 laterally and swinging the same downwardly into the other notch of the switch stand 18, the controlling lever movesbetween the extensions of the other rod forcing the same clownwardly causing the locking elements connected therewith to move into the notches of the members 12 and 25 for locking the switch sections against accidental movement. It will therefore'be seen that upon the initial movement of the controlling lever. 21 to shift the switch sections actuates the locking elements through the rods 29 and 40 so that said locking elements are moved into an unlocking or inoperative position prior to the movement of the switch sections and on the final movement of the controlling lever during the shifting of. the switch sections the locking elements are moved into operative position or into engagement with their respective notches thereby locking the switch sections against accidental movement. The arms formed upon the switch stand 18 for slidably supporting the rods 39 and 40 are provided with apertured extensions to extend through the controlling lever 21 when said lever is swung downwardly so as to lock said lever within either of the notches in the upper end of the switch stand 18. A suitable padlock may be passed through the extensions or apertures thereof after said extensions have been passed through the slidable controlling lever for locking said controlling lever. 7

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it

will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A railroad switch including spaced ends of the main track and a branch track communicating with one of the ends of the main track, movable switch sections pivotally mounted at one end of the main track, cufi's secured to the other ends of the movable sections, members carried by said cuffs and pivotally connected together and having a pair of notches, means connected to said members for shifting the switch sections and locking means controlled by said means and adapted to move into and out of engagement with the notches for locking and unlocking the switch sections.

2. A. railroad switch including spaced ends of a main track and a branch track communicating with one of the ends of the main track, movable switch sections pivotally mounted at one end of the main track, tie rails disposed adjacent the movable sections, guard rails disposed adjacent the movable sections, members connecting the free ends of the movable sections and having notches therein, locking elements slidably supported by the guard and tie rails, means connected to the members for shifting the switch sections, and means controlled by said means for moving the locking elements into and out of the notches of the members prior to the movement of the switch sections.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LINDSEY HARVEY.

Vitnesses JOHN S. Hoo'roN, JOHN H. LEE. 

